The Manila Metropolitan Theater: A history and its road to a glorified restoration

For more than four decades, the Manila Metropolitan Theater (MET) has been in ruins; it has 8,239.58 square meters of floor area and during the late 1940s it housed an ice cream parlor; used as a gay bar and boxing arena in the 1960s. The theater has a capacity of 1,670 seats, 846 orchestra and 718 balconies.

Design by a known Filipino architect Juan M. Arellano in January 1930, inspired by the early Filipino art and diverse images of the Philippine flora, Arch. Arellano want a modern design for the theater. Now that the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCCA) owns MET, plans to restore the old glory of the building is its number one goal, “what we’ll do is to restore the original (design), so that you won’t know the difference between 1931 and today”, said the NCCA Chairman Felipe M. de Leon Jr.

According to the NCCA chairman, it would take two years for them to restore MET, they are eyeing to work with Arch. Tina Paterno who is the executive director of the San Sebastian Basilica Conservation and Development Foundation and Engr. Villarasa.

Signing of the Deed of Absolute Sale with GSIS and NCCA, Pasay City (GSIS Office)

It’s been two years since the NCCA started to create a master plan, a plan which the Department of Budget and Management requires for them to be provided the exact funds to purchase MET. The plan is comprise of how they are to make use of the theater once it is fully restored to its old beauty, in which the NCCA chairman said that students, teachers and schools in Manila can use it for their art exhibits, films and other performances.

The NCCA purchased MET to the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) for 270 million Php and signed the Deed of Absolute Sale on Thursday, June 10, 2015 on the GSIS building.

====

Unpublished report: June 11, 2015

Being Pushed Away

A person can count on how many times another person pushes him/her away; some may do something about it and for some, just take it and pretend like nothing's wrong.

As for me? Well, I found myself pretending like nothing's wrong and everything's fine.

For those times that I have the chance to walk away, but never really have the courage to do so. No one is to blame besides me. I brought this upon me, the sadness.

It's been days and here I am, contemplating about how I let all things got worse. Been missing classes 'coz apparently I am not feeling well.

I know myself, I'll be able to face the world again, in a few days time. I just probably need a little time, a little time for myself.

I cannot afford to be pushed away again, for the longest time. My life recently have been chapters of ups and downs (mainly downs) and there are some few people who keep on holding unto me, for me not to get lost again, while in the process of achieving my dreams...

I just really feel sad lately, but I'll be okay.

Soon enough.

-Kring

For Far Too Long

People see things differently and even if I badly wanted to exclude myself in the equation, I simply just can't. You know how we all sometimes get things wrong, but in the process everything seem right? Well yes, in reality it happens.

We would see ourselves strong, not until we face what we fear most; like acceptance and letting go. There are quite some few things that I always consider (just because I am most of the times still scared) before I push myself to move on.

First is, wasting time hovering unto something that my mind knows means nothing. Like hoping to take love in return; yes I know for a fact that it shouldn't be taken, less likely to asked for. Love is a decision, not an option because we would say: "I love (insert name here), because blah... blah... blah..."

Second, well obviously because we feel that we love that person and that we don't want to spend days without him/her. But the real question should be: "Does that person reciprocally feels the same way we do towards him/her?"

Yes, we can blame ourselves for falling for someone who can never love us back. Blame ourselves all we want, then succumb to the pain for being dum-dum. Overthink about the almost could have beens of the love we feel, then feel disappointed with ourselves even more.

It's been far too long that I should have walked away from what I know is an endless journey with no destination whatsoever; now here I am, blogging my written thoughts away... Trying to drown the sadness with words which I know I can only do for now.

Because the truth is, it is really hard to walk away and never look back.

-Kring